insideKENT Magazine Issue 29 - August 2014

FOOD+DRINK SUMMER DINING AT turner contemporary café An award-winning dynamic visual arts organisation located in the coastal town of Margate, Turner Contemporary is causing a stir this season – and not just within its prized gallery walls. Making waves with a new menu, the landmark's in-house café unites matchless sea views with seasonal cuisine and stylish art-inspired interiors to offer its discerning diners an exciting new summertime experience. BY GEMMA DUNN A self-professed culture vulture and foodie, you can only imagine the hardship endured when I was invited to spend a gloriously sunny (I know!) Tuesday afternoon in the presence of Margate's imposing Turner Contemporary. A pioneer in the town's ongoing regeneration, this arts hub not only hosts groundbreaking exhibitions and events all year round, but it provides a meeting – and eating – space in the way of its onsite concept café. Open six days a week, excluding Mondays, Turner Contemporary's art-infused café channels modern cuisine, with a keen focus on provenance and sustainability. A member of Produced in Kent, it is commended for its pledge to prepare all of its dishes with ingredients sourced from independent suppliers, and more specifically, those within a 40km radius of Margate. Offering a well-appointed collection of menus – including breakfast, children's, afternoon tea and lunch – the team's unreserved commitment to delivering quality, local and seasonal fare across the board is a feat to be celebrated. On this occasion, the celebration was in aid of the café's superb new Mondrian Summer Menu; a model launched in line with the gallery's major summer exhibition, Mondrian and Colour. Lucky enough to sample the menu this July, my guest and I arrived to a window-side sitting, complete with stretching views over Margate's golden coast. Alternatively, a terrace with classic deckchairs affords al fresco dining when the British weather permits. Suffering from a severe case of indecisive diner syndrome, I sipped on a refreshing King's Orchard apple and blueberry juice while perusing the fabulous array of homemade soups and salads, weekly specials, and hot plates on offer. Yet, any hesitation was soon met by my guest's honourable suggestion to order a trio of our favourite dishes to share. First up, the vivacious Brogdale Farm chicken salad – accompanied by a delicious medley of red chicory, giant cous cous, pea shoot, tarragon, and pomegranate seeds – tasted as good as it looked; while, hot summer dish of the week, a perfectly seasoned, creamy mushroom risotto succeeded, served with parmesan and rocket. A warm pork and rosemary sausage roll completed the course, paired with a delectable summer slaw and seasonal salad from The Windmill Community Allotment. An age-old favourite – but not as you know it – this was no family-buffet sausage roll, but a homemade, spectacular masterpiece, which will quite frankly see me snubbing shop-bought adaptations from here on out. As expected, a mid-week lunch of this magnitude left me feeling ready for an afternoon nap, so – and I cannot believe these are my words – I skipped dessert in favour of later walking to the car, rather than rolling. In this instance, the perfect antidote for my over-indulgence had to be a stroll around the prestigious gallery. 55 Whether you're looking for a spot of breakfast with colleagues, lunch or coffee, Turner Contemporary Café is an inspirational and modern artsy foundation, much like the cause it supports. Here, playful, bright furnishings and simple, understated décor is met by a striking photographic exhibition and the culinary expertise of a characterful bistro. Committed to making world-class art accessible to everyone, the admission-free Turner Contemporary has undoubtedly put Margate back on the map. Not only has it injected a new vibrancy into the town, it has contributed over £30 million to the local economy and welcomed a staggering 1.2 million visitors and counting, during the three short years that it's been open. From an internationally acclaimed seafront gallery to a fresh and exciting café culture, this seaside town may be amidst a cultural renaissance, but justly, Turner Contemporary is at the very heart of it. Leading the creative charge in Margate, this iconic institution stands tall amongst its opposition (in every sense of the word), and long may it reign. Turner Contemporary Café Rendezvous Margate CT9 1HG 01843 233 000 www.turnercontemporary.org

insideKENT Magazine Issue 29 - August 2014 | Page 55